Batting aid and method of using same



Nov. 21, 1967 J. HAMSON, JR

BATTING AID AND METHOD OF USING SAME Filed Aug. 11, 1964 ls FIE EI- w/ ME MM ULII 1 l D'L A M /M///,//%,

l4 Jami INVENTOR. JAcK HAMSON JR.

ATT RNEYS United States Patent 3,353,824 BATTING AID AND METHOD OF USING SAME Jack Hamson, Jr., 1274 Cotter Way, Hayward, Calif. 94541 Filed Aug. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 388,785 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-26) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A batting aid for use in practice to enable a batter to observe the levelness of the entire arc of his batting swing so that he can develop a level swing. T=he batting aid is a fiat rigid member adapted to be secured to the back of the batters hand which is disposed adjacent the knob of the bat whereby the swing of the bat is level if the flat member is maintained horizontal throughout the arc of the swing.

This invention relates to baseball in general, and is more particularly directed to a method and means for enabling a batter to develop a level swing.

It is generally agreed that a level swing plays an important part in the ability of a batter to hit the ball. Therefore, novice batters such as youngsters playing Little League ball are usually instructed to develop a level swing as a means of improving their hitting. Unfortunately, this is easier said than done, since the batter usually experiences difiiculty in determining whether or not his swing is level without the assistance of a coach appraising the swing. Continuous practice is required to develop a level swing and it is impracticable for the major portion of this practice to be conducted in the presence of a coach. 'I hus, advantages are to be gained where the batter himself can ascertain the levelness of his swing during practice sessions.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and means for enabling a batter to develop a level-swing without the assistance of others.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a batting aid which enables a batter to observe the levelness of the entire arc of his swing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a batting aid of the class described which after continuous practice by a batter in maintaining a level swing by keeping the aid level gives the batter the feel of a level swing for use in actual competition.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide a batting aid in the form of a flat rigid member adapted to be secured to the back of the hand disposed adjacent the knob of the bat whereby the swing of the bat is level if the flat member is maintained horizontal throughout the arc of the swing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a batting aid which is of very low cost design.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a batter with the bat cocked in position to initiate the swing.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 of the batter in the initial stages of the swing.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the batter in a final stage of his swing.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the batting aid of the invention.

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FIGURE 5 is a side elevation view of the batting aid.

FIGURE 6 is a bottom plan view of the batting aid.

Referring now to the drawing, a batting aid 11 in accordance with the present invention comprises a flat strip 12 of rigid material, such as wood, plastic, or the like, and means for securing the strip to the back of the hand. In this regard, the strip is preferably formed with pairs of transversely aligned notches 13, 14 in its opposite side edges adjacent the opposite ends of the strip. The pairs of notches serve to receive opposite end portions of a rubber band 16 which extends across the bottom face of the strip. Preferably, the rubber band is crossed as indicated in FIGURE 6 so as to have portions extending diagonally across the bottom face of the strip. As so crossed, the rubber band exerts forces in directions tending to pull the band tightly into the notches and thereby effect good securance between the band and the strip. In this regard, it will be noted from the drawing that each notch has two generally transversely extending spaced apart side edges which maintain the band in position longitudinally of the strip. The length of the strip is substantially equal to the width of the back of the hand.

In the use of the batting aid 11, the strip 12 is placed upon the back of the hand of a batter with the rubber band passing between the thumb and forefinger and across the palm. The strip is thus secured fast upon the back of the hand. The particular hand to which the strip is secured depends upon whether the batter is right or left handed, the strip being secured to the hand which is adjacent the knob of the bat. Thus, the strip is secured to the left hand of a right handed batter and to the right hand of a left handed batter.

With the aid 11 secured to the appropriate hand (right hand of the left handed batter illustrated in FIGURES 1-3), the batter is able to develop a level swing by observing the position of the strip 12 during the entire arc of the swing. More particularly, with the bat 17 cocked, as shown in FIGURE 1, the batter observes the face of the flat strip 12 out of the corner of his eye and adjusts his hands until the face of the strip is horizontal, the bat being at this time parallel to the ground or level. The batter then takes a practice cut with the bat, while observing the face of strip 12 throughout the entire arc of the swing and being careful to maintain the strip at all times level as indicated in the several illustrated positions of FIGURES 2 and 3. By thus maintaining the strip level or flat, the bat is likewise level during the entire swing and is hence in the best position to squarely meet a ball. By thus repeatedly practicing swinging the bat and ob serving the levelness of the strip 12, the batter ultimately develops a level swing. More specifically, after maintaining the strip level in extended sessions of practice swinging, the batters hands become accustomed to being positioned to maintain the bat level over the entire arc of the swing. To impress upon the batter the necessity of maintaining the strip level, indicia such as Keep Flat At All Times is preferably imprinted upon the upper face of the strip.

Although the batting aid 11 has been described hereinbefore with reference to use in practice swinging, the aid may be worn when batting in an actual game provided it is not a league game wherein aids are prohibited. The aid may be worn comfortably while swinging the bat and is in no way detrimental to the swing. The aid then serves as a reminder to the batter when actually swinging at the ball to keep the swing level at all times.

What is claimed is:

1. A batting improving method comprising securing a flat rigid strip to the back of a hand grasping a baseball bat adjacent the knob thereof, and swinging the bat with both hands through an arc while observing said strip and maintaining same at all times level to thereby produce a level swing.

2. A batting aid comprising a thin narrow strip of rigid material of a width and length many timesgreater than its thickness and having pairs of transversely aligned notches extending into its opposite side edges adjacent the opposite ends of the strip, each of said notches having at least two generally transversely extending spaced apart side edges, and a rubber band having opposite end portions engaged within said pairs of notches and maintained in position longitudinally of said strip by said notch edges, said rubber band extending transversely across a first face of said strip between transversely opposite notches and longitudinally across a second opposed face of said strip, said first face being substantially 15 flat and devoid of protubcrances between the ends of said strip.

3. A batting aid according to claim 2, wherein said rubber band is crossed to include portions extending diagonally across said second face of said strip.

4. A batting aid according to claim 3, wherein said strip has a length substantially equal to the width of a back of a hand.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 784,211 3/1905 Hasman' 40-21 X 2,191,683 2/1940 Roberts 27354 2,816,368 12/ 1957 Salopek. 3,193,933 7/1965 Erey 273-54 3,269,729 8/1966 Morrison 273-189 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BATTING IMPROVING METHOD COMPRISING SECURING A FLAT RIGID STRIP TO THE BACK OF A HAND GRASPING A BASEBALL BAT ADJACENT THE KNOB THEREOF, AND SWINGING THE BAT WITH BOTH HANDS THROUGH AN ARC WHILE OBSERVING SAID STRIP AND MAINTAINING SAME AT ALL TIMES LEVEL TO THEREBY PRODUCE A LEVEL SWING.
 2. A BATTING AID COMPRISING A THIN NARROW STRIP OF RIGID MATERIAL OF A WIDTH AND LENGTH MANY TIMES GREATER THAN ITS THICKNESS AND HAVING PAIR OF TRANSVERSELY ALIGNED NOTCHES EXTENDING INTO ITS OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES ADJACENT THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE STRIP, EACH OF SAID NOTCHES HAVING AT LEAST TWO GENERALLY TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SPACED APART SIDE EDGES, AND A RUBBER BAND HAVING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS ENGAGED WITHIN SAID PAIRS OF NOTCHES AND MAINTAINED IN POSITION LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID STRIP BY SAID NOTCH EDGES, SAID RUBBER BAND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A FIRST FACE OF SAID STRIP BETWEEN TRANSVERSELY OPPOSITE NOTCHES AND LONGITUDINALLY ACROSS A SECOND OPPOSED FACE OF SAID STRIP, SAID FIRST FACE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT AND DEVOID OF PROTUBERANCES BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID STRIP. 